


keep in mind things are fine and we'll figure it out

by 1975reasons



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Bisexuality, Bottom Link, Casual Sex, Casual Sex that Doesn't Stay Casual, Divorce, Feelings, Fluff and Angst, Friends With Benefits, Friends to Lovers, Good Mythical Morning - Freeform, How Do I Tag, Idk that's just how I feel, M/M, Maybe some cotton candy randy appearances, Melodrama, Mild Smut, Secret Relationship, Top Rhett
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-15
Updated: 2019-04-15
Packaged: 2020-01-14 13:54:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18477583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1975reasons/pseuds/1975reasons
Summary: Rhett is freshly divorced and turns to Link for guidance.Well, only after being caught watching a sexually charged supercut of GMM moments.*basically I'm utter t r a s h and wondered what an R&L would look like after Jessie and Christy but with budding bisexuality and the strangeness of the internet*(Title from "Like We Did" by The Maine)





	1. Chapter 1

Ch. 1 

     Rhett smiled at the screen in front of him, laughing softly with every cut. He always enjoyed the fan compilations—especially those showing Link yelling for seven minutes straight. Whenever he was down, he’d find a new one to watch, or go back to an old favorite, and it’d take him straight out of whatever funk he was in.

Today was no different. Traffic had been awful that morning; Dropping the kids off at Jessie’s took nearly an hour longer than it should have, cutting into the plans he had for the workday. On top of that, Link wasn’t coming in today. He was taking his kids on one of those “nature walk” things, which, to Rhett, just sounded like a hike. He came into the office, grumbling, not watching where he was going, and ran into Jenna, who was holding a hot coffee. He was lucky they kept so many clothes at the office.

So, in an attempt to turn the day around, he had fallen down a half-hour Youtube rabbit hole, eventually landing on “ten minutes of rhett and link being weird daddies,” which was just a supercut of some really sexually tense moments between the two of them. Even watching and giggling to himself, alone in the office, there were times when Rhett genuinely wondered if that moment could have turned into something more. Not in a pining way; in a way, like, he wouldn’t mind if Link did decide to break the tension. They were, after all, both divorced, and not seeing anyone regularly, and, since moving out to LA, Rhett felt much more comfortable with the fact that he wasn’t just attracted to women.

The video ended abruptly (as they do) and he decided to allow himself another twenty minutes of indulgence by logging onto his (secret) Tumblr account and scrolling the blogs, looking for something to bookmark for later. Scanning the first few lines of each fic that came up to his search “rhink fanfic,” he started to notice the pressure of his budding erection on his jeans. It wasn’t enough for anyone to notice yet, as long as he stayed sitting, but he moved to adjust anyway, moaning slightly, letting his hand linger for just a few seconds too long. He heard a slight clearing of the throat behind him and turned around to see Link standing at the door, looking over his shoulder, directly at his desktop. 

Rhett closed out the tab and returned to the video he’d been reviewing behind his browser. “Hey, man. How long you been standing there?”

Link crossed his arms and smiled. “Longer than you’d like,” he replied.

Rhett stammered for a bit, trying to formulate a thought. All he came up with was, “I-I’m not really sure how to respond to that.”

“I just came by for my water bottle,” Link said. “Left it here last night. You know a nature walk isn’t any good unless you’re hydrated.” Rhett reached across the desk and grabbed the bottle, then turned around and handed it off to his friend. 

“Yeah, I, uh, kinda fell down an internet hole,” he said, trying to cover up his intentions with a half-truth.

“Hey,” Link said, putting his hand on Rhett’s shoulder. “We don’t have to talk about it.” He smiled at Rhett, and mussed his hair, then left.

_ Fuck,  _ thought Rhett.  _ There goes any chance at getting work done today. _

*

Resolving that he was too distracted to work, Rhett told Stevie he’d work from home for the afternoon and took off around 11:30. He picked up a six pack of beer before hitting home, and settled into his couch with a laptop and a Blue Moon about half an hour later. The house felt too quiet; the boys were at Jessie’s, Barbara was asleep, and it was nice enough out that he didn’t have the air running. Everything was still except for Rhett; he was restless.

Popping open a bookmark from his morning exploration, Rhett set his laptop down and went to change into a pair of joggers. When he returned, his screen welcomed him with what he had been searching for that morning; a chance a release. Reading, line by line, what had been imagined for him and Link pushed him. He let a hand drop underneath his waistband to comfort the needy swelling—

_ Ring _

_ Ring _

     ‘Marimba’ played loudly as Rhett’s iPhone vibrated across the glass coffee table in front of him.  _ Link _ —he pulled his hand away and reached to answer the phone.

     “Hey, how was the nature walk?”

     “Oh, you know,” Link replied, “kids hate not being on the screens. But, we saw some cool animals and rocks and stuff.” Link paused. “Are you okay?” 

     Rhett cleared his throat. “Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”

     “You just seem...weird today.”

     “Link, you said we didn’t have to talk about it.”

     “No, man, I did. I’m sorry. I just wanted to let you know it happens.”

     Rhett spat the sip of beer he had started to take. “What—what do you mean?”

     “I mean, you’re lonely, not divorced long. When Christy left, the first year was hardest. I’ve been there too, man.”

     “You wanna come over for a drink?” Rhett asked.

     “Sure. I’ll be there in an hour.”

*

     Rhett decided to change back into jeans before Link got there; he didn’t want to push the situation from weird to uncomfortable by being underdressed when he got there. He paced for an hour, wondering what Link meant.  _ I’ve been there too.  _ Been there, reading erotica about his best friend? Or Been there, like generally frustrated and looking for something like intimacy? He didn’t know which one to hope for.

     Link pulled up in the driveway; Rhett could see him through the huge windows in the front of the house, but he tried to act nonchalant until Link knocked on the door. 

     “Hey,” he said as he answered. “Want a beer?” He headed to the fridge to pull a bottle for both of them.

     “Yeah, that’d be great,” Link replied, looking around, stiff. “It still doesn’t feel like you’ve settled in here yet, huh?” Link wasn’t wrong; the walls were still fairly bare, save for a couple of photos of the kids and a piece of art Stevie had given him years ago. There were still a few boxes here and there, piled up in corners.

     “Yeah,” Rhett replied. “Eight months here and you’d think I'd have unpacked by now.”

     “Eh,” Link replied, “You've never been the organized one.” he shoved Rhett's shoulder from across the kitchen bar as Rhett slid him a drink. The dipped for a few minutes in silence.

     “So,” Rhett finally broke, “what'd you mean earlier?”

     “About what?” Link answered casually.

     “‘Been there before.’ That's what you said.”

     “Divorced, Rhett. I've been where you are in the process. You gotta remember it's been three years since Christy.”

     “Oh,” Rhett breathed, almost disappointed. 

     “It does get lonely. I get why you were doing what you were in the office this morning. When she first left, I was so frustrated; trying to learn how to be by myself, be actually alone, was so hard. Sure, we hadn't been sleeping together for a while, but she was still there; still in bed, or at least in the house. Still some kind of company. Figuring out who you are as a single person after being married so long is kinda rough.”

     “Been there…” Rhett repeated. “I thought you meant  _ exactly _ there. Watching GMM supercuts of us almost kissing.”

     Link took a long drink and dropped his gaze to the granite of the counter. “Not exactly there, but close.”

     Rhett choked a little. “Where then?”

      “fanfiction blogs, fanpop, you know. Same difference almost.”

     “So, are you… do you… like men?” Rhett asked tentatively.

     “I think that's a thing I'm starting to understand.”

     The two were quiet for a significant amount of time. 

     “Intimacy is complicated,” Rhett said, once again being the one to break the tension. Rhett offered his hand to his friend, who took it.

     “The stories, about us, they made me feel...weird,” Link said. “Like, good weird.”

     “Like, ‘adjusting your erection in the office’ weird?” Rhett replied, taking his hand back.

     “Touche.”

     “If you want, we can...take care of each other.” 

     “I couldn't ask you to do that,” Link answered. 

     “I'm offering. You don't have to ask.”

     “You know that would change a lot. The show, how we work together, it would all be different.”

     “Not if we don't let it. We keep sex separate from work. Always at home. Never at the office. And we don't talk about it to the people we work with.” Rhett sighed. “Honestly, Link, I would much rather figure this thing out with someone I'm already comfortable with, who has no more experience than I do.”

     “That seems reasonable,” Link responded.

     “So, you in?” 

     “Yeah, I mean, let's do it.” 


	2. Chapter 2

Ch. 2

     “I think I need another drink if we’re going to do this,” Link said. Rhett, silent, walked to the fridge and got him another. When he turned around, though, Link was standing less than arm’s length away, close enough that Rhett could smell his breath—mint, orange, hops—and his cologne—spice, warmth, sharpness. He noticed he hadn’t shaved since probably the morning prior; there was a thin veil of salt-and-pepper stubble hiding the sallow of his cheeks. 

     “Link,” Rhett said, voice low and soft, “What are you doing?” He took a step closer to the shorter man, thinking he’d answered his own question.

     “Doing it,” he answered, closing the distance between them. He put a hand on the nape of Rhett’s neck, pulling his face downward. Meticulously, cautiously, he looked at him, examined the features of his face. The way his chin tapered off symmetrically, the few silver hairs buried in a blonde beard.

     Rhett looked back; the seconds felt like hours. Studying his face, longing for him to move faster. When Link’s lips finally touched his, slowly, softly, all the tension of the last year left his shoulders. But the kiss was only cautious; not romantic, but carefully lustful. Once established, Link quickened his pace, becoming forceful, pressing Rhett against the fridge. Rhett dropped the bottle on the floor, hearing it remain intact and roll to a stop against the bar as Link’s hands greedily pulled at the hems of Rhett’s clothes. 

     Rhett pushed back on Link, not breaking their kiss, but guiding him down the hall to the bedroom. Still tongue tied, they fell back onto the bed together, Rhett straddling the smaller man. Link tugged his shirt up and off, and then pulled Rhett’s over his head, settling his hands into the niche of his hips. 

     “Wait,” Link breathed as Rhett went back in to kiss him. He immediately stopped. 

     “Everything okay?” Rhett asked.

     “Yeah, it’s just, do you have...supplies? You know, for us to do this.” 

_      Good question, _ Rhett thought. He went digging in the closet, looking for lube or condoms or something to keep the moment alive. He turned up shirtless and empty handed, shrugging disappointedly. “I guess those are things I haven’t needed in a while,” Rhett responded. Link fell backward onto Rhett’s queen bed, disappointed. “Sorry I ruined the ‘doing it,’” the blonde whispered dejectedly, sitting down next to Link.

     “No, it’s okay,” he signed in return. “I think we were diving in a little fast there, anyway. Like, maybe we should talk about this some more.”

     Rhett jumped up, pacing, and immediately rushed to amend the situation. “Right, I mean, if you’re uncomfortable  _ at all _ , we can stop. We don’t have to talk about it ever. I don’t want you to feel pressured into anything and—”

     “Rhett.”

     “Yeah Link?”

     “I’m not uncomfortable, I just think we need some...rules and stuff.”

     “Oh. Okay.”

     “Like, how far are you comfortable going? And who is...y’know...giving and receiving? And do you want me to get tested? Stuff like that,” Link sat back up, looking up at his counterpart.

     “Well, what do you want to talk about first?”

     “Let’s start with the testing thing.”

     Rhett sat down in the corner chair. “How many people have you seen since Christy?” 

     “Not many, but there have been some.” Rhett nodded in response. 

     “Why don’t we go together?” he posed. “That way, we both know for sure, and we start with a baseline of trust.”

     “Rhett, you know I trust you.”

     “I mean, friend trust and sex trust are different worlds. I want to make you as comfortable as possible.”

     “Okay. So we'll get tested together this week.” 

     “So, how would be most comfortable for things to… progress?” Rhett asked. A flirtatious smile skirted across Link’s lips.

     “I mean, it would make sense, wouldn't it, to work our way up to the big stuff, right?” Rhett could tell it was getting him a little bothered just to be talking about it; Link had started shifting his weight, rubbing the heel of his hand into his thighs, laughing nervously as he spoke. He couldn't deny that he, too, felt arousal stirring in the bottom of his stomach.

     “I mean, yeah. And, if at any point you don't want to go any further, you tell me and it can stop right there.” 

     Link rolled his eyes. “Stop being so chivalrous.” 

     “Respectful?” Rhett raised an eyebrow, questioning his friend's statement. He said ‘chivalrous’ like it was an annoying thing. 

     “Anxious.”

     “I'm sorry. I just want this to work out.”

     “No,” Link started, running a light hand through his silvering hair, “don't apologize. You were being nice; you just don't have to keep saying it. If it starts to feel bad weird, I'll tell you.” he paused for a beat, listening to the sound of Rhett's nervous breath. “I want it to work out too, man.”

     Rhett got up and picked up his shirt from the floor where it had been thrown. He handed Link his own top and said, “Well, why don't you put that back on, and we'll rent a movie or something.” 

     Link nodded and obliged, pulling the faded, psychedelic t-shirt over his hair, now messy from almost-sex and nervous fidgeting. Rhett noticed and sat next to him on the bed.

     “You don't have to be so nervous, dude. It's not like you've gotta impress me or anything. We're just friends, having fun, helping each other.”

     Link huffed a little, anxious. “I know, I'm just trying to navigate all this right now. I came over expecting to have a couple drinks and just unload some weight. It's just happened kinda suddenly.” the two sat in silence for some time.

     “Maybe you should go home and take some time to breathe,” Rhett recommended. 

     “Yeah.” 

     “Take the weekend, and I'll call you on Monday to see if you still want that appointment. Sound good?”

     Link nodded, hair bouncing. “Yeah, sounds good.”

*

     Rhett had been up for two hours. It was 7:47 AM on Monday; call was at 10:00, which meant, if he called the clinic right at 8:00 the men might have time for a swab before shooting that day. He hadn't been able to sleep; this was the longest he and Link had gone without talking. Less than forty eight hours. The clock blinked. 7:48. He couldn't wait any longer.

     The line rang twice before Link picked up.

     “Hey Rhett,” he answered.

     “Hey Link. Whatcha up to?” 

     “Just worked out and showered. You?” 

     “Oh, you know, pacing.”

     Link laughed lightly. “I've been doing a lot of that, too.” 

     “So, should I make that appointment?” Rhett asked apprehensively.

     “Yeah, make the appointment.”

*

     The two rode together in silence for the majority of the trip from the clinic to the studio.

     “They said they'll have someone call by the end of the day,” Link said in an attempt to calm his visibly-nervous friend.

     “I don't know why I'm so whacked out by this,” Rhett responded. “It's not like I've got anything. Jessie is the only person I've been with in the last twenty years.” 

     “It definitely nerve-wracking. Just how some things are. Pregnancy tests. Colonoscopies. STD testing. Nature of the beast.”

     Rhett winced. “Please don't call an STD test a beast. That makes it sound worse.”

     The pair parked behind the studio and headed inside, silently agreeing to end any conversation about their situation.

     The demeanor changed as lights came up and the two men got settled into their chairs on set. 

     “Rolling in three, two…” Stevie's voice trailed off into finger cues, signaling Link to deliver the opener. 

     “Can koalas give you chlamydia?”

     Rhett choked, trying the shot. Stevie looked at him accusingly.

     “What the hell?” she asked.

     “Ah, forgot we were, uh, shooting this episode today. Sorry.” He could feel the blood rushing to his face, thankfully mostly covered by beard, and tried not to look at Link. 

     It was going to be a long day. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhh, I fucking meant to have this out a week ago, but my life pretty much hit me like a train.   
> Thank you for waiting and I promise I will be better.

Ch. 3

Rhett and Link got in the car after a disastrous day shooting. Neither one of them could keep a straight face during the “Marsupial Myths” game after that intro. Link wouldn’t look at the camera, and Rhett wouldn’t look at Link, and Stevie eventually threw her hands up, exasperated, and decided they’d shift the schedule and film that episode another day. Moving on to a different episode helped a little, but the air remained rigid between them. She eventually just told them both to go home early and “figure their shit out.”

“I think we pretty much pissed off Stevie today,” Link said quietly.

“Yeah, and let everyone know there was something going on,” Rhett replied, starting the engine and backing out. 

“You think they know?”

“Specifically? No. They probably think we’re fighting or something.”

“Did the clinic call yet?” Link asked anxiously.

“Not yet,” Rhett said. “But it’s only three."

"Let's go do something. Get our minds off it," Link said.

"That'd be great, bo, but all I can think about, I mean, other than chlamydia, is how bad I wanna be touching you."

Link laughed at Rhett's gesture. “I appreciate that.”

“You wanna come to my house?” Rhett asked. Link nodded.

 

The two entered Rhett’s house, not saying much between them, and watched Goldbergs together, only interrupted when one of them got up to get a drink.

Or, until the phone rang.

Rhett’s phone buzzed across the glass coffee table, just like it did when Link called that day to talk about the supercut incident. Link scrambled to pause the TV, and Rhett took a deep breath in when he recognized the clinic number on the caller ID. He didn’t exhale before answering.

“Hello? Yes, this is him.” There was a pregnant silence in the room as Link watched Rhett nod along to the words of the nurse on the other side of the phone call. “Alright...Thank you...You too.” He blew the breath he had been holding forcefully. Link gestured at him for an answer.

“Clean,” Rhett said.

Link’s phone buzzed in his pocket. The same situation played out in reverse, Rhett hanging on every nod and “mm-hmm.” 

“Clean,” Link said. All of the sudden, Rhett’s stomach boiled over with butterflies. 

“Are we gonna do this?” he asked. 

Link was already climbing on top of him, pulling him in close by the nape of the neck. “We’re gonna do this,” he breathed. He kissed Rhett forcefully, much more urgent than last time: much needier. 

“You wanna move towards the bedroom? This couch is white,” Rhett spoke against the younger man’s mouth.

“You’re so practical,” Link sighed, rolling off him and standing.

“I’m so cheap,” Rhett replied, getting up himself and following Link to the bedroom. Link flopped down on the bed, arms spread, staring at the ceiling. Rhett pulled open the drawer of the nightstand, stocked with condoms and lube. “Supplies,” he said to Link, smirking. This time, the blonde crawled on top, pinning Link’s wrists to the bed. Link craned his neck to meet Rhett’s face, kissing him longingly. “Let me know if you ever want to stop,” Rhett said softly in Link’s ear. 

“You too,” Link replied. Rhett, still kissing Link, fumbled for the stereo remote and turned on Spotify. He slipped his hands underneath the brunette’s shirt, running them along his sides. Link shuddered and moved to shuck his shirt, and then pulled Rhett’s off as well. Pressed chest to chest, Rhett rolled underneath Link, letting him lead the situation. Link wasted no time, still kissing the taller man while hastily undoing Rhett’s belt. Rhett reciprocated, and pulled the button undone after pushing the buckle out of the way. Before pushing Link’s jeans away from his waist, Rhett pulled away from Link’s mouth slightly.

“Okay?” he asked. Link moaned into his mouth in affirmation, tugging at Rhett’s clothes. The two systematically stripped each other down to nothing, just boxers, cautious, each man waiting for the other to ask to slow down. Neither did. Rhett’s fingers danced gently around the elastic of Link’s underwear, nudging for consent. 

“C’mon and fuck me, McLaughlin,” he whispered. 

A switch flipped in Rhett and his tentative movement turned into desperate clawing, ripping the last remaining garment down Link’s legs, leaving him naked. He took his face away from Link’s and went down, leaving Link gasping in surprise, pleasure. He took a handful of Rhett’s hair and guided his motion. Rhett pulled up against the force of Link’s hand to speak.

“Am I not doing it right?” he asked. A storm of self-doubt started to form in the bottom of his stomach; he’d watched porn and read all the columns and tried to do the things he liked Jessie to do for him, but somehow, he was still convinced that Link’s hand was a correction and not an innocent gesture of lust.

Link shook his head. “No, you’re doing it perfect, bo.” 

“Why’d you do that then?”

“I… just like it, I guess.” Link sounded unsure. “I didn’t mean to make you think you’re bad or anything. Just like a little bit of control.”

Rhett sighed as Link pulled his hand out of his hair. “You can leave it there, I mean, if you want. I’m sorry I’m so nervous.”

Link shook his head. “No, it’s okay. We should both be comfortable.”

Rhett kissed Link’s abdomen, whispering “thank you” as he made his way back down. Link directed his hands towards the bedsheets and bunched the navy-blue linen in his fists as Rhett went down on him. Yelping with pleasure, Rhett could tell he was getting close and stopped, letting him hang frustrated as he grabbed the lube from the nightstand and then carefully inserted one finger into Link, simultaneously stimulating his prostate and sucking his dick. Link quickly gained back the ground he had lost, barely able to warn his partner before he was climaxing. 

Rhett rolled over onto the bed to lay next to Link, who rolled over and positioned himself on top of Rhett, yanking down his boxers to return the favor. 

*

Laying together on Rhett’s bed, sweaty, naked, panting, the two of them were silent, taking time to process the encounter that had just ended. Link was the first to break.

“I never thought, ever, for a second, you and I would ever end up in bed together,” he said.

“I did,” Rhett replied. “Or, I hoped at least, on some level, I think.” Link looked at him in surprise, waiting for an explanation. “I mean, since the divorce, I haven’t even been  _ trying _ to date. I was happy just spending my time at the studio with you. The extra hours didn’t bother me, and the fact that I wasn’t seeing anyone didn’t really bother me either, other than, you know, when things would get backed up. And all the fans, man, have been saying shit like this for a long time, and lately I had started to wonder if they didn’t have a point.” Link was still quiet. “That doesn’t bother you, does it?” Rhett asked.

“No, nah, man,” Link immediately retorted. “It’s just a lot to admit. But, yeah. I was in that place too, right after Christie and I split. Wondering if you were it for me. It’s hard not to get thoughts like that in your head when they’re constantly being put there by the internet.”

“Do you think I am it for you?” Rhett asked boldly.

“Rhett, let’s not talk about that right now.” Link sighed. “I need to take this one step at a time; right now, we’re sleeping together—as friends. We can talk about more if we start feeling more, okay?”

Rhett nodded, not letting Link onto the fact that he was already feeling more.

 

*

The next day, they drove into the studio together, talking about anything but the sex and the conversation that followed it. Rhett noticed himself being nervous that morning when he woke up, taking extra time to groom and pick out clothes that he thought Link would like. And Link did like them; the wood-grain button up was one of his favorites.

“What’s the occasion?” the brunette asked when Rhett picked him up. “Birthday? Funeral?” 

“Nah, just running out of clean clothes,” Rhett replied, playing it off. 

“Well you look good, man.” 

“Thanks.”

 

They  _ so _ much work done; their chemistry was back, and the air felt clear, and all the jokes landed, until they got to the last shoot of the day. 

“It’s time for ‘What’s On My Face?’ Candy Edition,” Link said into the camera.

“Okay, here are the rules. In each round, we will be blindfolded, and a candied object will be placed on our faces. It’s our job to guess what the candy is. If we get three correct, we get to go home with ten pounds of gummy sharks, and the title of Candy Brians,” said Rhett. 

“So, we get two clues to use throughout the game. We can take a taste, where we eat the candy off of the other person’s face, or we can get a commercial clue, where Stevie plays the audio of a commercial for the product, with the name censored out, of course.”

 

Things were going well until the last round, when they were up two and Nerds Rope was stuck to their faces.

“Now, I’ve been avoiding this because I know whatever candy is stuck to your face is gonna be covered in beard hair, man, but I think I need to use the taste,” Link said. 

“I agree,” said Rhett. “I can’t tell by smell or texture, so this one’s stumped me too. Let’s get a taste.” The two moved closer to each other, blindfolded, mouths fumbling around faces, until Rhett got ahold of Link’s Nerds Rope, and started to eat it, making his way from his cheek in towards Link’s mouth. 

“Whoa, buddy,” Link said. “You’re gettin’ a little close there, don’t ya think?”

Rhett didn’t stop, and his lips connected to Link’s. Instinctively, he started to kiss him. Once Link registered what was happening, he pulled away and took his blindfold off. “Cut the tape,” he said. The crew just stood there, surprised. “I said cut the damn tape!” Link yelled, and stormed off set to his office, slamming and locking the door behind him.

 


	4. Ch. 4

Ch. 4

 

Rhett felt like it had been hours when Link finally emerged from the office and rushed out, still obviously unhappy. Rhett ran out the back door of the studio, trying to catch up with him, hoping to make things right.

“Link! Man, I’m really sorry, I don’t know what happened. I-I, I just couldn’t stop, no matter how bad I wanted to. I really didn’t mean--” 

Link cut him off. “I don’t care what you  _ meant _ Rhett. You did it anyway.”

Rhett fought back the sting of tears pushing up on his eyelids. “I know, and I’m sorry!”

“How are we supposed to explain that? How do I make that go away? How are we supposed to continue doing this if you can’t  _ fucking control yourself? _ ” Link screamed, hot, angry, tears staining his cheeks and spotting his collar.

Rhett lost it and started to cry. “I’m sorry.”

“Is that all you can say? You’re sorry? You didn’t seem sorry when you did it, McLaughlin.” Link got into his car and left. Rhett crumbled to the sidewalk, sobs shaking violently through his torso. He dropped his head into his hands, sniffing and staring at the pavement. He felt a delicate hand on his shoulder, but was too embarrassed to meet the eyes burning into his back.

“Will you call me an Uber?” He asked quietly.

“Get up and I’ll take you home,” Stevie said softly in response. He nodded, still not looking at her, and stood up. Stevie handed Rhett his backpack. “I grabbed your things.”

“Thanks.” The two walked to Stevie’s car in silence, not speaking until the doors were shut and the engine was on.

“Wh-I-I’m not even sure where to start,” she said to Rhett as she backed out of the lot.  “What happened?” 

Still sniffing, Rhett shook his head. “We tried to have something, and I just blew it big time,” he said.

Stevie looked over at him, eyes wide in surprise. “What do you mean?”

“We were kind of casually seeing each other,” Rhett responded. “And Link didn’t want everyone to know, since it wasn’t serious.”

“Rhett,” Stevie started, “anything romantic between you two is serious. You don’t just have casual sex with your best friend. You and Link are something different.” Rhett let out an unintentional sob as she said it. She reached over and rubbed him on the shoulder, being as comforting as she could be in the middle of LA traffic near five o’clock. The silence hung between them for a little while, until Stevie broke it again. “I kind of anticipated this happening. You two getting together. I didn’t think it would be this messy, though.”

Rhett looked at her, puzzled. “Why?”

She looked back and smiled at him. “I can tell you love him. I’ve known for a long time. Probably longer than you.”

Rhett bit his lip, trying not to cry again. “It wasn’t--isn’t like that. It was sex.”

“Rhett.”

“It’s only been different for a little while. Only since Christy left.”

“You mean Jessie?” Stevie asked.

“No, I mean Christy.”

Stevie got wide-eyed again. “Three years? You’ve been sitting on this for three years?”

Rhett shook his head. “The sex is new. The reciprocation is new.”

“You were--this was--while you were with Jessie?”

“We weren’t doing anything then,” Rhett reassured her. “This all just happened in the last few days.”

“But you were thinking about doing things then,” she concluded.

“I was. It’s why she left.” he was silent for a few seconds. “Too many dreams where his name slipped out in my sleep.”

“You’re fucking kidding.”

“She said we were spending too much time together. She was afraid it would escalate. I told her I wouldn’t quit the show, and she left.”

“Well, I hate to say she told you so,” Stevie said, finally turning into Rhett’s driveway. 

“I just feel so stupid. I ruined my marriage for a chance at this and then I went and fucked it up almost immediately.”

Stevie put the car in park and patted him on the shoulder again. “Hey. Let me tell you a secret.” Rhett looked up at her. “No matter what shit you pull, no matter how bad it is, he’s always going to come back to you.”

“Not this time,” Rhett replied.

“Especially this time. Because what I saw in you about him? I see it in him, too. You just forced him to think about it.” Rhett nodded firmly in response. “Just give it a couple of days; he’ll figure it out.”

“Thanks, Stevie,” he replied, grabbing his backpack and getting out of the car. 

“Chin up, big guy,” she said, punching him playfully. “It’ll be alright.”

Rhett nodded and headed into the house. He started to pull out his phone to dial Link--to apologize for the tenth time--but made himself scroll past his name and dial Locke instead.

“Hey, dad,” he answered. Rhett couldn’t believe how grown up he sounded.  
“Hey, Locke. I know it’s not my weekend, but do you wanna come over if it’s okay with your mom? I miss you.”

“Yeah, for sure. I got the new Fortnite season pass and I could actually use some help with it.”

Rhett breathed; hanging out with Locke would keep his mind off of Link. “Cool. Well, is your mom around? I’d like to talk to her.” 

“Yeah,” Locke said. “Let me get her for you.” Rhett heard Locke fumbling down the stairs and through a couple of doors to meet Jessie with the phone. “Hey, Dad’s on the phone for you,” he heard Lock mumbling to his mother.

“Rhett?” Jessie asked, picking up the phone.

“Hey, Jessie,” he said tentatively.

“What’s going on?” she asked, wasting no time on  _ hey _ s and  _ how are you _ s. 

“Nothing, everything’s fine,” he said, sensing an anxiety in her tone. “I was just wondering if we could switch weekends so I could have the boys this weekend instead of next.”

Jessie sighed. “When we made this agreement, we said there’d be none of that unless it was for business stuff--and I know you don’t have shows for another three weeks, Rhett.”

Rhett felt tears pawing at his bottom lids again. “I know,” he said quietly,” I’m just having kind of a hard time and I-” he had to pause to collect himself, “I could just use some company.” He heard Jessie sigh again, but this time, resolvedly. 

“Why don’t you come over tonight? You can hang out with them here, and that way you’re not alone, but our weekends don’t get all mixed up.”

“Are you sure?” he asked. “I don’t want to invade your space if you aren’t comfortable.”

“Rhett, we were married for twenty years; I care about you, and I don’t want you to be alone.”

 

Long after Locke had retreated to his room and Shepherd was down and up with a nightmare and then back down in Jessie’s double bed, Rhett still hadn’t gone home. Jessie handed him glass after glass of riesling, trying to get out of him what was wrong. She did still care about him; he could tell. He just wasn’t sure she still could if he told her what had happened between him and Link. After about the fourth glass, it came out anyway.

“We kissed.” It’s all he said. It was enough for her to know.

“Oh.” She blinked a couple of times, waiting for him to go on. When he didn’t, she asked, “And?”

“And I’m sorry you were right.”

“I wasn’t looking for an apology. I’m not angry. I was looking for the reason you’re crying over wine in my kitchen.”

“It was good, for a while. Slow. But I messed it up.”

Jessie chuckled. “Rhett McLaughlin. There is nothing you could do that would push Link away for good. I’ve seen you two go through it all. It can’t be that bad.”

“We weren’t out, and I kissed him while we were filming an episode.”

Jessie choked on her riesling. “Well, that’s certainly...complicated.”

“You’re telling me,” he sputtered, trying not to lose control of himself again.

“Honey, I’m sorry,” she said, putting down her glass and wrapping an arm around his shoulders as he fought back the sobs. “But I know you’ll get through it.”

“That’s what Stevie said too.”

“And she’s right. You two have always been tighter than bark on a tree. There’s no way this is what drives the nail in.” 

“He’s pretty mad; he said some real bad stuff.”

“You know how he gets when he’s mad--he always says things he doesn’t mean,” Jessie retreated back to her side of the marble island.

“I know. I just don’t know how to fix it. I’m just hurting everyone I love lately.” He looked at her and she caught his eyes for a split second before looking back down at the countertop.

“Rhett, don’t.”

“No, I hurt you too, and I didn’t mean to. I loved you. I did. I do.”

“Not the way you love him.” she took a long drink. “You can’t love anyone the way you love him.” It was silent for a long time before Rhett finally spoke again.

“I wanna tell you that’s wrong, but it isn’t. He’s got my head so fucked up, Jess.”

“You fuck his head up too. And it scares him. And you’ve seen enough of him over the past thirty five years to know that he doesn’t deal with fear well.”

“I know,” he sobbed quietly. “I know. I just don’t know how to fix it.”

“Fix it the way you always fixed us,” she said. “Do that southern cowboy thing you do, Rhett, and go win him back. Put on that plaid suit, brush your hair back, and make him remember how much you mean to him.”


End file.
